A community in southwestern Ontario is marking the fifth anniversary of a hate-motivated attack that claimed the lives of four members of a Muslim family.
Salman Afzaal, his wife Madiha Salman, their daughter Yumna and her grandmother Talat were killed on June 6, 2021, after a man hit them with his truck while they were walking in a London, Ontario neighborhood.
The couple’s son, then nine years old, was seriously injured but survived, and his attacker was convicted of four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in 2023.
The judge ruled that the murder, carried out by a white nationalist, was an act of terrorism and the case marked the first time Canada’s terrorism laws came before a jury in a first-degree murder trial.
The Youth Coalition Combating Islamophobia is holding several events to mark the anniversary, including a community march in London today.
Meanwhile, London Police Chief Thai Truong said in a statement on Friday that the anniversary was a time to honor Afzaal’s family and mourn with the Muslim community.
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He added that the impact of hate “can be devastating and deadly.”
“There are moments in the history of a community that leave a mark that never goes away. This is one of those moments in London,” he said.
“We remember them not only because of what they took, but also because of what their memories continue to inspire in this city: unity, compassion, courage and responsibility to stand up to hate in all its forms.”
The five-year anniversary comes as a national Muslim organization urges Ottawa to act on recommendations to tackle Islamophobia.
Speaking on Parliament Hill on Thursday, Khaled Al-Qazzaz, head of the Canadian Muslim Community Affairs Council, said the attack on Afzaal’s family “reveals the reality” of Islamophobia faced by Muslim communities across the country.
“Despite years of research, consultation and public commitments, Muslims in Canada continue to face discrimination, harassment, violence and unequal treatment,” said Al-Qazzaz, whose group has released a new report urging Ottawa to combat anti-Muslim hate.
“Islamophobia is not only expressed through individual acts of hatred but also through broader social structures and institutions that continue to harm and disenfranchise Muslim communities.”
The report urges the federal government to act on recommendations put forward by House and Senate committees to increase training in detecting and preventing discrimination, and calls for $40 million in federal funding to protect Muslim mosques and schools.
The group is also seeking policies that hold social media companies accountable for spreading and promoting hate online, noting that mass killings in Canada were committed by people exposed to extremist content.
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